RIYADH, 30 March 2006 — Saudi Arabia has called for the establishment of guidance councils within Gulf prisons. The proposal was made at a meeting here on Monday of the heads of rehabilitation centers and correctional facilities in the six Gulf Cooperation Council member states.
According to Maj. Gen. Ali Al-Harithy, director of prisons in the Kingdom, the proposal was aimed at minimizing violent incidents, such as attacks against prison guards or fights among inmates.
“The proposal that we have made in the meeting does not mean that violent incidents have become a phenomenon in our prisons. We aim by this to minimize the incidence of such cases through education and counseling,” Al-Harithy told reporters after the meeting.
He said that though Article 29 of the prison regulations was clear on punishments, it would be better to prevent violence through guidance or counseling.
However, he ruled out any leniency in carrying out punishments for violent acts committed in prisons.
“Whenever punishment needs to be meted out, it should,” he said.
The officials discussed the possibility of allowing people convicted of minor offenses to move freely within GCC. The meeting, which concludes today, is expected to come out with recommendations for implementation.
The officials recommended that certain proposals be returned to GCC ministers of interior for further elaboration. One of these topics concerns the background history of an inmate and whether or not it should be dropped from the inmate’s profile if he maintains good conduct throughout his incarceration.
An earlier proposal called for keeping an inmate’s history in his file if he does not maintain good conduct in prison for two years. It also recommended that the profile of prisoners who have been sentenced for minor offenses be removed if they behave properly during their imprisonment.
